Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions: The Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 1 Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila

The Interior Castle or The Mansions

S. Teresa of Jesus

of the Order of our Lady of Carmel

St. Teresa of Avila

Discussion of Mansion 7 - Chapter 1

Discussion of Mansion 7 Chapter 1

█ Summary or Highlights

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ Advantages of Learning of these favors

which God Bestows on those

whom He brings to these advanced Mansions

■ Gratitude and Praise for God

▪ For His Mercy

▪ To Recognize the Value of the Soul

▪ To Inform

that such favors exist and are possible

if God wills to bestow them.

▪ To Urge one by prayer, by good works,

and by effort

to practice the virtues with the help of God

to labor to dispose oneself

toward advancement to God

▪ To Guide

how to proceed if one is granted this grace.

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ Before the Spiritual Marriage

■ The Lord brings the Bride to the 7th Mansion

■ The 7th Mansion is His abode within the Soul

■ Those whom God Brings to the 7th Mansion

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

█ Spiritual Marriage

▪ The Lord Unites the Soul to Himself

▪ The soul feels called

"to enter its own centre"

■ Comparison to the Prayer of Union

▀ Intellectual Vision

of the Most Blessed Trinity

■ The Soul is Sensible and Certain

of the Blessed Trinity dwelling within.

▪ The Presence, Although Lasting,

Is Not always Very Distinct

▪ The Soul, by its own efforts,

is unable to manifest this vision

■ Sublime Spiritual Knowledge

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

▀ The Fruits of this Mansion

■ More Active in God's Service

■ Certainty of God's Presence

■ More Careful Not to offend God

■ Preparation for further advancement

toward God

■ Further Growth of Virtues

■ By the Spiritual Wisdom,

inherent in this Gift,

Faith is strengthened and Ratified

■ Interior Peace

▪ Interior Peace Yet Exterior Trials

▪ Eventuating a Discovery of a Distiction

Between the Soul and the Spirit

▪ Also, a Distinction

Between the Soul and its Faculties

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

▀ Discussion of the Soul in Mortal Sin

▪ May God be Merciful to them

as He was to us

■ The Importance of Praying

for the souls in mortal sin

█ Advantages of Learning of these favors

which God Bestows on those

whom He brings to these advanced Mansions

St. Teresa explained,

"my object

is to reveal His mercies

for the praise and glory of His name."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 1 ]

"so long as God is

but a little better praised and known"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 2 ]

She begged God to teach and guide her

as to what to write and how to describe

"of the much there is to tell".

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 1 ]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Through her writing, with God's help,

she hoped to further in her readers:

■ Gratitude and Praise for God

▪ For His Mercy

"He has shown great mercy

in communicating these mysteries to one

who could recount them to us,

For as we learn more

of His intercourse with creatures,

we ought

to praise Him more fervently".

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 1 ]

▪ To Recognize the Value of the Soul

"to esteem more highly the soul

in which He so delights."

"Each of us possesses a soul

but we do not realize its value

as made in the image of God,

therefore we fail to understand

the important secrets it contains."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 1 ]

▪ To Inform

that such favors exist and are possible

if God wills to bestow them.

"to tell

of His revelations to the souls

He leads into this mansion."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 1 ]

▪ To urge one by prayer, by good works,

and by effort to practice the virtues

with the help of God

to labor to dispose oneself

toward advancement to God

"that you may discover

how vital it is for you

to put no obstacle in the way

of the Spiritual Marriage

of the Bridegroom with your soul

which brings...

such signal blessings with it.

▪ To Guide

how to proceed if one is granted this grace.

█ Before the Spiritual Marriage

■ The Lord brings the Bride to the 7th Mansion

"...before consummating

the celestial marriage,

( Our Lord ) brings her into this His mansion

or Presence Chamber."

This is the Seventh Mansion"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 3 ]

"When His Majesty deigns to bestow

on the soul

the grace of these divine nuptials,

He brings it into His PresenceChamber

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 7 ]

■ The 7th Mansion is His abode within the Soul

▪ The 7th Mansion is His Presence Chamber

• In addition to God's abode in Heaven,

there is a Second Heaven

in the Center of the soul

where He also abides

"for as He has a dwelling-place in heaven,

so has He in the soul,

where none but He may abide

and

which may be termed a second heaven."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 3 ]

"... the soul (is) an interior world

containing the number of beautiful mansions

...in the centre of the soul,

there is

a mansion reserved for God Himself.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 6 ]

"How wonderful it is

that He Who by His immensity

could fill a thousand worlds

should enclose Himself

within so narrow a compass!"

[Way of Perfection: Ch. 28: #11]

■ Those whom God Brings to the 7th Mansion

- whom "He has

spiritually taken for His bride"

"When our Lord is pleased

to take pity on the sufferings,

both past and present,

endured through her longing for Him

by this soul

which He has spiritually taken

for His bride,

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 3 ]

"because God is in no way subject to laws.

He bestows such graces

as He pleases

and

to whomsoever He pleases."

You only have, therefore, on your side,

- to keep yourself continually submissive

to the interior dispositions

that you experience at each moment,

- only willing what God wills,

and

for as long as He wills it."

[ Abandonment to Divine Providence

Jean-Pierre de Caussade, S.J.

Letter II.-Good Symptoms.

To the same Sister. Alby, 1732. ]

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/decaussade/abandonment/Page_344.html

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/decaussade/abandonment.iv.vii.ii.html

█ Spiritual Marriage

█ Description of the Spiritual Marriage

▪ The Lord Unites the Soul to Himself

"He then united it to Himself".

▪ The soul feels called

"to enter its own centre,

as it does in this mansion".

"...Our pitiful God

- removes the scales from its eyes

- letting it see and understand somewhat

of the grace received

in a strange and wonderful manner

in this mansion

by means of intellectual vision.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 8 ]

■ Comparison to the Prayer of Union

To help illustrate this grace

she compares it to the characteristics

of the Prayer of Union:

- when God also united the soul to Himself

- when "only the superior part was affected"

and

the soul did not feel called

to enter its own center"

- when He put it into a trance."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 7 ]

"In the former favours,

our Lord

- unites the spirit to Himself

and

- makes it both blind and dumb

like St. Paul after his conversion,

thus preventing its knowing

whence or how it enjoys this grace,

for the supreme delight of the spirit is

to realize its nearness to God.

During the actual moment of divine union,

the soul feels nothing,

all its powers being entirely lost. "

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 8 ]

▀ Intellectual Vision of the Most Blessed Trinity

"The three Persons

of the most Blessed Trinity

reveal themselves"

"though it beholds the Blessed Trinity

neither by the eyes of the body

nor of the soul,

this being no imaginary vision."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 9 ]

"our pitiful God,...

letting it see and understand somewhat

by means of intellectual vision.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 8 ]

■ The Soul is Sensible and Certain

of the Blessed Trinity dwelling within.

"It sees with certainty...

that They dwell

far within its own centre and depths"

"Though for want of learning

it cannot describe

how, it is conscious of the indwelling

of these divine Companions."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 10 ]

"I saw...the most Holy Trinity

distinctly present

in an intellectual vision,

whereby my soul understood...

how God is Three and One;

and thus it seemed to me

that all the Three Persons spoke to me,

that They were distinctly present

in my soul,

saying unto me

'that from that day forth

I should see

- that my soul had grown better

in three ways, and

- that each one of the Three Persons

had bestowed on me a distinct grace,

--in charity,

in suffering joyfully,

in a sense of that charity

in my soul,

accompanied with fervour."

[ Relation 3: # 6 ]

"If any one love me,

he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we will come to him,

and will make our abode with him.

[ John: 14: 23 ]

"Whenever I recollect myself I realize

- that already in this life the Three Persons

of the Blessed Trinity may be seen,

and

- that They

accompany me

and

assist me in the management

of my affairs."

(Fuente, Obras, vol. vi. p. 280.)

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 9

Foot Note # 397 ]

▪ The Presence, Although Lasting,

Is Not always Very Distinct

"Day by day a growing astonishment

takes possession of this soul,

for the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity

never to depart"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 10 ]

"This presence is not always

so entirely realized,

that is, so distinctly manifest,

as at first,

as it is at times

when God renews this favour,

otherwise the recipient could not possibly

attend to anything else nor live in society."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 12 ]

"This is as if

when we were with other people

(in a darkened room)...

We should feel certain

that the others were still there,

though we were unable to see them."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 12 ]

▪ The Soul, by its own efforts,

is unable to manifest this vision

"This is not in her power;

When our Lord chooses,

He will open the shutters

of the understanding:

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 13 ]

■ Sublime Spiritual Knowledge

Spiritual Wisdom is imparted and

it is part and parcel of the vision, itself.

"A sublime knowledge is infused into the soul,

imbuing it with a certainty of the truth

that the Three

- are of one

substance, power, and knowledge

and

- are one God...

The three Persons are distinct

from one another...

All the Three Persons here

- communicate Themselves to the soul,

- speak to it

and

- make it understand the words of our Lord

in the Gospel

that He and the Father and the Holy Ghost

will come and make their abode

with the soul which

loves Him

and

keeps His commandments."

"Thus that which we hold

as a doctrine of faith,

the soul now...

understands by sight"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 9 ]

"how different from

merely hearing and believing these words

is it to realize their truth in this way!"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 10 ]

▀ The Fruits of this Mansion

■ More Active in God's Service

▪ Not Inebriated: Not absorbed or enraptured

"You may fancy

- that such a person is beside herself

and

- that her mind is too inebriated

to care for anything else.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 11 ]

God "does not treat it as before

when He put it into a trance."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 7 ]

"otherwise the recipient could not possibly

attend to anything else nor live in society."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 12 ]

▪ On the contrary,

she is far more active than before

in all that concerns God's service"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 11 ]

■ Certainty of God's Presence

"Unless she first deserts God,

I believe He will never cease

to make her clearly sensible of His presence:

"She feels confident...

that He will never so fail her

as to allow her to lose this favour

after once bestowing it"

"and

when at leisure,

she enjoys this blessed companionship."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 11 ]

"He shows her great mercy

in never quitting her

and

in making her realize it so clearly.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 13 ]

■ More Careful Not to offend God

"At the same time,

she is more careful than before

to avoid offending Him in any way."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 11 ]

■ Preparation for further advancement

toward God

"His divine Majesty seems

to be preparing His bride

for greater things

by this divine companionship

which clearly

- helps perfection in every way

and

- makes her lose the fear she sometimes felt

when other graces were granted her.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 13 ]

■ Further Growth of Virtues

"improved in all virtues"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 14 ]

■ By the Spiritual Wisdom inherent in this Gift,

Faith is strengthened and Ratified

"Thus that which we hold

as a doctrine of faith,

the soul now...

understands by sight"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 9 ]

"how different from

merely hearing and believing these words

is it to realize their truth in this way!"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 10 ]

"This is not like other visions,

for it overpowers faith;

so that

it is impossible to doubt

of the indwelling of the Trinity

in our souls,

by presence, power, and essence."

[ Relation 9: # 17 ]

■ Interior Peace

"Whatever were her trials or labours,

the centre of her soul seemed

never moved from its resting-place.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 14 ]

▪ Interior Peace Yet Exterior Trials

While sensible of her abode with God

in the center of the soul (like Mary),

St. Teresa (like Martha) must still contend

with the trials and demands of living

in the exterior world.

"she complained of her soul

as Martha did of Mary,

reproaching it with enjoying solitary peace..

...while undergoing great sufferings,

...while leaving her so full

of troubles and occupations

that she could not keep it company."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 14 ]

"Thus,

in a manner her soul appeared divided:

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 14 ]

"otherwise the recipient could not possibly

attend to anything else nor live in society."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 12 ]

▪ Eventuating a Discovery of a Distiction

Between the Soul and the Spirit

"in a manner her soul appeared divided"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 14 ]

"This may seem extravagant...

yet though the soul is known

to be undivided,

it is fact and no fancy and often happens.

Interior effects show for certain

that there is a positive difference

between the soul and the spirit,

although they are one with each other. [402]

There is an extremely subtle distinction

between them,

so that sometimes they seem to act

in a different manner from one another,

as does the knowledge

given to them by God.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 15 ]

From Foot Note #402

which refers back to Paragraph #15

the editor added:

"The distinction between soul and spirit...

consists in this,

that the term, soul, comprises the

faculties,

senses, and

passions,

whereas the term, spirit,

denotes the

substance of the soul

independently of its powers.

In the inferior degrees of the Mystical life,

God operates through the faculties,

while in the Mystical marriage,

He acts directly

on the substance of the soul."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1:

# 15 and Foot Note #402 ]

▪ St. Teresa seems to be experiencing

- the Spirit, "independently of its powers"

free to remain in the center,

along with

- the Soul with its faculties which mediate

through the trials of life.

"otherwise the recipient could not possibly

attend to anything else nor live in society."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 12 ]

"and

when at leisure,

she enjoys this blessed companionship."

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 11 ]

"when the soul has reached this state,

Martha and Mary always act together"

"For the soul takes its part

in the outward actions

which seem merely exterior,

and

which, when they spring from this root,

are lovely, odoriferous flowers growing

on the tree of a love for God

solely for His own sake,

unmixed with self-interest.

[ Minor Works of St. Teresa

Exclamations, Maxims And Poems

Of Saint Teresa Of Jesus

Conceptions Of The Love Of God

Ch. 7: #3- 4

Translation:

The Benedictines Of Stanbrook ]

▪ Also, a Distiction

Between the Soul and its Faculties

"It also appears to me

that the soul and its faculties

are not identical.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 16 ]

▀ Discussion of the Soul in Mortal Sin

In describing the value of the soul,

St.Teresa assures one of its inner light from God.

"we should not fancy the soul to be

in darkness...

wrapt in obscurity."

However, darkness is more descriptive of

of the soul in mortal sin.

"This is indeed the case

with a soul out of the state of grace"

Although God is present to continue "its being"

"...the soul itself is

- incapable of receiving the light...

- unable to perform any meritorious action"

▪ May God be Merciful to them

as He was to us

"Well may we pity them

when we reflect

that we ourselves were once

in the same state

and

that God may show them mercy also.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 4 ]

■ The Importance of Praying

for the souls in mortal sin

"Let us, then...

be most zealous in interceding for them

and

never neglect it.'

"To pray for a soul in mortal sin

is a far more profitable form of almsgiving

than it would be to help a Christian

whom we saw...on the point of dying"

"not a temporal death,

but an eternal one."

"What if by your prayers

you could loose his bonds?"

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 5 ]

"For the love of God,

I implore you constantly

to remember in your prayers

souls in a like case.

[ Interior Castle: Mansion 7: Ch. 1: # 6 ]

End of the Discussion of

Mansion 7 Chapter 1

The Interior Castle

The Mansions

S. Teresa of Jesus

of the Order of our Lady of Carmel

St. Teresa of Avila

Carmelite Book Studies ~ The Interior Castle or The Mansions

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The Interior Castle: Mansion 7 - Chapter 1 Discussion - The Mansions - St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus